Bethesda Without Todd Howard: Good or Bad?
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- Sorry for the Todd glaze. I just couldn't stand to not make another Todd Howard thumbnail... I mean.. What else am I going to do with my Todd Howard PNG folder??
In this video I talk about the impact that Bethesda's Leader, Todd Howard, had on the gaming and RPG industry. Whether you like or dislike him, he has still made an impact on our community. As a matter of fact he's probably played a huge role in some of the RPG's you've come to enjoy.
I'm mostly scared that Bethesda might completely lose the personal touch they have with fans, I mean it's already dwindling as is. I feel like we get less and less of those "One on One" types of presentations whenever it comes time to show off a new game they've been cooking up. My hopes is that whoever takes the helm next, they can at least maintain some of that "organic" feeling that Todd seems to give off.
As promised here's the links for the videos and podcasts I mentioned in the video. For the developer interviews, I'll post the compilation (which is shorter) as well as all of them seperately. I think there's only three total.
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Lex Fridman Podcast with Todd Howard:
• Todd Howard: Skyrim, E...
MrMattyPlays Podcast with Todd Howard:
• Matty Interviews Todd ...
KIWI TALKZ Bethesda Devs Speak About Todd Howard (Short Compilation):
• Bethesda Devs Speak Ab...
KIWI TALKS Bruce Nesmith Interview (Designer on Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, and Starfield):
• #171 - Bruce Nesmith I...
KIWI TALKS Nate Purkeypile Interview (World Artist On Skyrim, Fallout 3/4, 76 & Starfield):
• #180 - Nate Purkeypile...
KIWI TALKS Jonah Lobe Interview (Character Artist On Skyrim, Fallout 3 & Fallout 4):
• #169 - Jonah Lobe Inte...
Dont' know but Bethesda without Emil would be an improvement if he's no longer the lead writer or at the company at all.
Absolutely. That man fucking lie on his resume smh🤦♂️
So true dude, I feel like if they got someone who actually understands RPGs and why we originally played the early BGS, we would have far better games moving forward
I'm with you on that.
@ Yeah my first ever RPG was Oblivion and I was blown away because I'd never played anything like it before. I still remember some of those quest storylines. The latest BGS game I've played is Starfield and I honestly can't remember more than two quests that I actually did. Everything else seemed so shallow and menial work. I had more fun building bases and ships than the actual story. I really wish they'd do a remake of Morrowind. That's the one I've never played.
Creativity and Todd Howard should NOT be in the same sentence
He has been actively ruining, de-rpg'ing and simplifying bethesdas games, itll all be straight line fetchquest slop with him.
The developers for morrowing and oblivion had to beg todd to implement creative things they wanted in the game, they had to trick him and come up with ways to get him to say yes to what they wanted, such as presenting two options with one outlandish option and the one they wanted so hed say yes to at least one thing.
I want to repeat that. Creative directors had to find ways to TRICK todd howard into letting them add what they wanted to the games. that comprises most of what made these games unique, good, gave them stories and lore
What you're talking about isn't Todd Howard's fault. Todd Howard was directly involved in the development of the games up to Skyrim. Starting with Fallout 4, Emil Pagliarulo took over as the lead designer for Bethesda's games. Emil is currently both the lead writer and lead designer, and that's when the ultra-generic content and RPG genre simplification began. Nowadays, Todd Howard is just the guy who handles meetings, manages budgets, and lies like a champion to cover Emil's mistakes and sell the games.
@Glass4870 Todd Howard outranks Emil Pagliarulo and he always has. Todd is also the reason Emil got the job to begin with. They were friends in high school.
Oh really? What creative things did they have to beg for or "trick" the big bad Todd into letting them implement in the games?
@@Glass4870 Every decision must be approved by Todd. Like the devs said, he has his hands in everything.
2:23 Just to be clear: Todd is passionate about UI? Like… Skyrim’s UI was made with “passion?”
same with starfield, and modders fixed it in like 3 days
@@SpikedKirby Yep, literally the first mod I get
UI mods are practically mandatory for Bethesda's games. Sometimes, I feel like they're making their UI design bad on purpose.
@@Mirthful_Midori I don't think I can play skyrim without SkyUI, but I have personally never used UI mods for fallout 4. Starfield just has no hope 🥲
@@Mirthful_Midori todd: we could make good UI, but then, modders will be out of job **biden smiles Linkin Park music plays**
Without Todd Bethesda would have to stand on the quality of their work, which, uh, yeah...
YOIKES
Not much will change really, we've seen what a game without Todd is in the form of Starfield. Starfield might've been Todd's dream, in reality it is an Emil game through and through.
So yeah without Todd we would only get more mediocrity like Starfield since Emil Pagliarulo is next in-line to be the new game director.
God I hope they change their minds on that.
Emil is such a hack.
Todd seems to be blinded by Emil😮
Meh, Todd has been cutting down more interesting ideas and mechanics to wash things out since Morrowind. When one of the games has charm or mechanics that mingle, that is in spite of Todd.
Bethesda without Todd Howard? It just works.
Todd is not the problem or the solution. All the people that really made Bethesda great are already gone. The talent has been fired or has left. The major shift came when they released 76. That's when the bean counters got hold of the reins.
@@wolfhors3_660 Glad you said this. Most people don’t realize that a lot of devs who made the games we like are long gone.
I need more Todd in the thumbnails HorseArmour, perhaps some Emil sprinkled in there too.
On it.
Or more to the point...what will Tod be without Bethesda...just a small man in a big pond again...he wont leave
3:24 that's hilarious he cares so much about the UI because for me and my mates, the first mod we usually get is one to overhaul the shitty BGS UI they put in every time
I feel like the Skyrim UI was great for consoles. I’ll agree that the UI on pc sucked haha
Todd is in too much everything on bethesda personally I’m all for removing him because he only likes certain things and loves to strip away more and more from their games. sadly fallout is ruined at least for me and tes is very water down at this point. Ultimately maybe someone will take things in a better direction only time will tell.
Without todd bethesda would have to rely on emil and hines. those two have succeeded to burn bethesda down even with todd sitting in the tall chair. They wouldn't even last a development cycle without him in the tall chair.
@@Gordulan Pete Hines retired from Bethesda before Starfield shit storm. He saw it coming mile away.
@@Vert_GreenHeart Then they're even mor screwed since that only leaves emil who has failed upwards ever since oblivion.
Yeah that's why I mentioned Ashley Cheng. I really like Ashley. As far as I've seen, he kind of keeps to himself and his work and I'm also guessing he's someone who meets with Todd daily.
@@Gordulan Pete Hines was cool but he didn’t do development, he was just public relations essentially
Oof ... at 9:53 I HATED the clutter in the game (Edit: Starfield). I hated it more than the bad story and moralistic carbon-copy NPCs. But hey, no hate on whoever the person is. I just cant stand that art style and clutter density. Yikes.
Agree too much crap everywhere.
When it comes to the best, Todd is the best. No one has ever come close to the perfection that is Bethesda cheese.
And I doubt there’s a person in here who does not love the smelly foot like odor of some of that Bethesda cheesy stink. Whether it’s Skyrim cheese, or radioactive fallout cheese. You know it, I know it, we love it.
Keep making that cheese, Todd.
I agree. I like Todd. Does he Lie? Oh yes he does. But I like his charisma
Is Bethesda going to be fine without Todd Howard? The guy that lies so much that it has become a meme. The guy that is so greedy that he tried to monetize mods and then went on a rant about how fans are stupid when it got backlash. The "it just works" guy. The guy that admitted to re-releasing Skyrim over and over because people are stupid enough to buy it. Yeah look, i think Bethesda is going to be just fine without Todd Howard.
The Bethesda I loved is long dead, and Todd contributed to its demise. Nothing of value will be lost.
i think instead of bethesda without todd howard, we should be looking into every bethesda IP without bethesda. imo theyre no different than every other turn of the century game developer. too big for their shoes, too set in their ways, and too complacent with their positions. theyve gone from creating and continuing great IP's to ruining everything they touch. im sick and tired, more than anything, of fallout belonging to bethesda. its a hollow shell of what it used to be and it needs to go back to the hands of people who are passionate about it and its roots as a GENUINE role playing game, not this post apocalyptic coat of paint, sandbox looter shooter its turned into.
I think they need good writers and game designers to put more complexity in its rpg elements and not streamline it.
It doesn't really matter. To the extent Todd is the reason Emil hasn't been fired then yes get rid of him so Emil can go. But what then? Nobody who made BGS great is still there and the company is full of plucky DEI fanfic writers and sycophants they hired off the modding scene. You'd have to rebuild the whole studio. Microsoft should just shut it down and build new studios around each core IP filled with the most talented devs they can find.
They need to Hire modders instead of their current crew 😂
Modders breathe life into their games & Starfield woulda been a 5 star hit if they implemented more ideas into it modders think of it all && they Do it with ease
Their employees think of bare minimum
and are proud of it, we need gamers making games not Corporations with their Greed & limitations.
I’m still waiting on a starfield Big overhaul & I can’t believe it took 25 years to make that embarrassment
honest conference about starfield is gold go check that out if you haven’t
5:35 Can you name any development he dreamed up? I think it's impossible to tell whether he was behind them or some nameless/faceless developer.
Dood. 12min of you telling us you want to have Todd babies is cringe. Seriously, Todd and his butt buddie Emil should have been let got 10-years ago.
I’ve criticized Todd many, many, many times hahaha
@@HorseArmour So many times. So, when's the baby shower? ;)
The Bethesda hate train is easy to ride, however where would we be withthout it and Todd. Fallout wouldn't exist as we know it today, nor would Skyrim. He's brought a lot to Bethesda that has made our childhoods what they are and gotten us into these games. I'll always appreciate him for what hes brought without the blind hate towards him while still acknowledging his failures, as like everyone - you're going to let someone down. FONV lead writer went on to write the Horizon series and no one talks about those games nearly as much as Fallout no matter how bad people say 4 was...
It doesn’t really matter whether Tood stays or leaves. Bethesda’s games nowadays are so by the numbers, cookie cutter style “RPGs” that whoever took over would just keep doing the same to appease the shareholders. Bethesda has been devoid of real talent or passion for a long time.
I can't see my comment anymore, it might have been deleted or something went wrong posting it.
Short version it is then, since I can't be bothered to rewrite the entire thing.
I always liked Todd. I don't really know anything about him. Only things I've ever seen of him are memes or short clips in other RUclips videos but he seems like a likeable guy. Good sense of humour and passionate about games and the making thereof.
As for Todd within Bethesda, I have absolutely no clue. Some people blame him from everything wrong with their games but I doubt he's completely responsible for all of it. I have no clue as to which parts of games, the good and bad, are because of him. So I can't really say anything about a potential future for the company without him.
I just like the guy, I would have invited him to my LAN parties back in the day. I hope he becomes a gaming RUclipsr or streamer or something after leaving Bethesda. I'd subscribe to "The Godd" Howard.
Hey dude it's about time you gave me a novel :)!!
ALso, I've been seeing a lot of people say this lately... I promise I'm not deleting them I just think it takes some time for them to show.
RUclips has apparently rolled out an auto-moderation AI and it is f'ing atrocious...
RUclips has apparently rolled out an auto-moderation AI.
And it is absolutely atrocious.
Bethesda without Emil would be a net positive, I'm pretty sure.
Back in the 1990's, Electronic Arts was an awesome studio that released some real bangers for the Sega Genesis. But today, EA is a dead studio. Ubisoft as well, used to be great, but is now dead. CD Project, great work on the Witcher games, but lost the plot with Cyberclunk 2077. After Starfailed, Bethesda is a dead studio. There is no hope of redemption for any of them. Wash your hands and set your eyes on The Wayward Realms because AAA is gone forever.
A starfield MMO might actually be good, hopefully just on one planet or in one galaxy
Todd is a short king...of lies.
Dude made a male bosmer speccing almost entirely into speech.
Bethesda without Todd Howard is Starfield. That project pass to Microsoft hands, and yet... It was Sh- really bad. Everyone clap when M buy Zenimax, is the same, failure are now under Microsoft and Phil responsibility, not on Todd, not anymore.
Todd howard is that charisma build character
He can convience you to buy some game that broken with story that bit dull and rpg that not even rpg(i know story is emil fault but duh)
The company would perform exactly the same. If anything Todd represents a vestigial link to the Bethesda that used to be, so you would see even greater egregiousness. The whole company is rotten and gay.
As much as Todd likes to tell his sweet little lies I feel like the day he retires is the day Bethesda truly dies. Hopefully we get a half decent elder scrolls 6 as a parting gift
I feel like they’ll turn into something worse.
@ “how does it feel to watch all your favourite franchises go down in flames”
- Evans
Oh my god guys Emil is clearly gonna destroy the company, and is going to turn fallout into a children's game, with all gore and violence removed. and The Elder Scrolls into a farming simulator where you cannot leave your farm, or else you get whipped by your overload.. If you give any feedback to him, he will gather his fellow Bethesda employees and ban you from all Microsoft related services. All stories will now revolve around one central theme, all dialogue will be written by a 2 year old, and a 100 year old war veteran with dementia. Bethesda is cooked fr fr.
All jokes aside, I do not understand the Emil hate. It has gone too far, especially after the design doc drama. Todd is going to be involved in Bethesda in some shape or form for the rest of his life, and when he retires, hopefully someone competent will take the rails. Or they can hand it over to a 2 year old, idk.
Its nothing, taking that, the rest of the stupid direction its still, its like removing a little of skin and saying that the infection its completly gone.
He and his friend Emil need to go.
get rid of him, he's done... overcooked even
This video is just content for the sake of content, you spoke so much, so slowly, filled with regurgiated adjectives, repeating the same phrases, without sharing any critical thoughts or ideas, what a waste!
Both him and Emil need to go. Along with any other woke developers that company employs.
The sooner he's gone the better. I can't buy a product from a habitual liar like him.
Nah he do be lyin’ tho
Time for them to move on
Truuuu
❤
♥
💛
I wish people stop shitting on Starfield lol the game is amazing..i have more hours in it than Fallout or Skyrim. Its definitely not as good as games like witcher 3 or cyberpunk true, but compared to the old bathesda games, starfield is really no different.
Keep telling yourself that dude...
@@grungehog hey I respect your opinion, but I just hope you at least gave it a fair chance.. it seems to me people were set on hating the game, even before it was released..
If you enjoy Starfield then that’s 100% totally fine. I do my best to separate how I feel about it and how other people feel. I just can’t enjoy it.
Leme ask you though, what aspect do you like about it?
@@HorseArmour Well since you asked I will give a detailed answer. The roleplaying aspect to be honest.. Always try a new build and backstory and completely immerse myself in the story telling.
I make a new ship build or several for each build that fits the theme, that's always loads of fun to make one from scratch. Made ones for a Trucker, Pirate, Smuggler, Wild West guy, crazy gen z lady, a professor etc.
I love building Outposts, again trying to role play as per my build.. Vanilla is fine, but with Mods I have made some gorgeous Outposts, for resources, factories for the role playing, lovely homes, etc.
Also the game has a shit ton of mods, always something new to try. Never gets stale.
I agree that the main story of Starfield is not appealing, but I think it's by design. To make sure it's not too urgent, so it doesn't interfere in the role playing. For example it's ridiculous to role play in Skyrim cause they downright force the Dragon born quest on you, which doesn't really fit with some character builds. Same said for Fallout, where chasing your baby takes away from the role playing. The faction quest in Starfield make up for this and are quite immersive. I wish they changed the combat to a more modern system, but honestly not a deal breaker, cause we don't play Besthesds games for their combat mechanics. I got Elden ring for that.
My final point is, the game is good at what it does, a role play game... Games like Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk are amazing, but in my opinion I never replayed them as much. Because most of the fun was in the top tier storytelling.. Starfield lets you make your own fun, that's what I love about it..
@@ryandesilva1206 lol no, I'm not giving them a dime, they decided to price their game x2 higher than I'd pay for a game, the standards are set by the price, everything I've seen looks and feels disappointing.
I'm not giving it a fair chance, no way, people were not hating on Starfield before it came out, people were glazing that shit for the first 2 weeks, then they sobered up.
If I go to a shop and I see mould on a pizza I was interested in buying, I'm not buying the pizza, games are products like anything else.
I'm happy you enjoy the game you purchased at least but it is not on the same level as Skyrim, everyone knows that.
After Fallout 76 i promised my self to never buy a Bethesda game until today. and still holding my prommis.
Theres like a few Nuns in the comments here trying to wriggle into Emil here.
Don’t even say that name here
When Todd leavs, Bethesda will probably suffer the same fate as Bungie or Dice did when it happened to them, it'll become just another generic studio without its own"paste" , soul or style.
Really the only way forward for Bethesda is to get rid of Howard. He was a great when he had something to prove but now he just obviously get in his own way. Rather then sticking to what makes their stuff great they make these "we wanted to try something new" why not build what you did well with skyrim or fallout 3 or morrowwind and build on it. Make it bigger not just a lager map bigger more detailed cities with more characters. In stead the seem to be aiming for less character with just massive emptiness. You can be mad if you want but starfield has no soul. And tes6 is probably gonna suffer from the same. They need to move Todd and hire some real giggachads and a director thats never worked on a Bethesda title but has played them ALOT and understands them. Unfortunately that won't happen because Todd's ego is so big he can't see his failures and like some fans like this guy he doesn't fail you just don't understand. Skyrim is what it is because fans that still understand the ip make it worth it. Go play vanilla skyrim quick and vanilla starfield tell me I'm wrong. Tod has to go